Perspective..

Well this week (the end part) has certainly been one of the hardest in my short recent history. On a training front it has been really good but from a personal perspective, life altering.

Monday was a great swim in the morning. I backed it up with a great 17k run in the arvo. No pace or required time, i just cruised (just recently realising the importance of long slow rides and runs) and really really enjoyed myself.

Tuesday morning and it was the usual enjoyable river ride with Clarkys, Seano and Benno. Good times. The arvo was our last hills run with the squad before we head back to the track to build that speed again, so i really put the gun down and made sure i made the most out of our last set. Although, can't wait to get back to the track. And cheers johno for the lift home afterwards ;)

Wednesday was a short pool set as we had out farewell brekky for everyone heading off to worlds in a week, love those brekkys. Still backed it up with an arvo set so still a good swim day. Thursday was the old ride into work, with a lunch time run set with seano and a failed attempt to run 1k on 2.30 (amongst other sets). owie owie haha, (our egos that is..). Big Andy T met me for a nice ride home into the headwind and a good chat.

Friday morning was the usual affair, and nice swim set. Afterwards Andy and I FINALLY got to fit in a good long ride. From mine down the freeway, up Mundijong Road, up Jarrahdale Road and the same return route. I was a really good tempo ride, and i was keen to put the pace up on Mundijong Road (a personal thing...) and was successful. Good times :) Just chilling at the shack..




There is all ways time for a cheesecake stop...




Friday night my week took a turn for the worst, when i learnt that one of my closest family friends, Greg had passed in a car crash. I was/am still absolutely shattered as a result and made for a really tough weekend. Friday night was just terrible, but wow i realised i have some amazing people around me (thank you family, Paige and Andy).


Saturday and i was up early, and all though i wasn't in the mood i knew i had to pop out and get some stuff for my good mate Edwins 21st for Sat night. What a mistake that was, when i was finally finished on my way home I was cut off and my car totalled by a lady who cut across me. I was extremely shocked and shaken up but thank god ok. The lady was really nice and admitted her fault, but it didn't change the fact that Lenny (my car) was dead :( So many memories from awesome road trips, intercar food fights and my aerial all ways struggling to go up and down haha. As a result i was unable to make it to road racing or my planned open water swim :(


After a pretty hectic 24 hours it was nice to pick up Paige and head to Edwins to celebrate his 21st. It was a really good night with the highlight definitely being playing our own version of beer pong, less exciting was my loss to Paige :( i will never live that down haha.


I was up early on Sunday morning for the City to Surf Half Marathon. Before i left i decided to write Greg's Name on my shoe. We all ways use to talk about how much we loved running, and fitness in general, with him even buying a road bike before he passed. I really wanted to run the race for him and thought it would be a nice reminder.




We got to the city with plenty of time to warm up and were finally on the starting line. I was keen for a good race, but have only just recently picked up my running k's so wasn't expecting to much. Unfortunately the race went pear shaped all most immediately when the top 20 runners (myself included) were led the wrong way and was made to run an extra 3k. Not happy.


Although i was super annoyed i didn't let this deter me to much as i was feeling surprisingly good. I was also ok as i had my GPS on so i knew i could track my own 21.1k time. I was super happy and reallyyy comfortable holding 3.45-3.50 mins per k so....i held it. I ran through 21.1k with a time of 1.18. I was really psyched because i honestly felt really comfortable and good. I clocked over 21k and still had 3k to go, so i cruised the last 3k and ran in at 1.29 for 23.6k.


That brings us to now. This week, this weekend especially really put things into perspective for me. Family and friends are the most important thing, something that should never ever be forgotten. I've certainly learnt how lucky i am, to have my family and to have people like Andy and my training friends. Paige you are also the most amazing person ever and really really helped me through a tough time this weekend, i really really appreciate you and everything you have done for me.


Train hard, stay strong people


Markus


RIP Greg

By popular request..

Well i finally got my hands on the (just before) finish line photo! Here i am sprinting for the win - woot! Enjoy

Me on the left in the K-Swiss gear and Nathan on the right

Stay classy and train hard

Markus

Winna winna chicken dinnaaaaa!

Haha what a fantastic title...

Well another pretty big week this week and i am chuffed. Monday i was still in the pain box pretty bad, but made it to the Monday morning swim and managed to put in 100%, i struggled but i got the k's in :). Johno and i managed a nice few easy running k's in the arvo - a nice and very much needed recovery run.

Tuesday morning and due to some impeding potentially dannnngerous weather conditions Andy and I decided to hit up a good little interval wind trainer set, good work. Tuesday arvo was the usual hills set with the training crew - however we were cut one hill short as the ridiculous amount rain was actually making it hard to see/run. Wednesday and thanks to discovering the greatest swimming aid in the world (the forearm fulcrum) i was able to FINALLY get a double set in!! Super super happy chappy, and felt good to get two swims in in one day. Thursday and i got in a quick ride to and from work with a run off the bike after. Bricks are the best form of training, love them.

Friday and it was my usual day off work - yayzers! Up early for a good swim and some gooddd brekky with seano and scotty. Andy and I had planned a big ride but once again the horrible weather got in the way - we decided to hit up a well over 2 hour windtrainer set, the only reason we survived was thanks to Kona 08 and Ironman NZ 08 (the dvd's) and each others company.

We then went off to grab some lunch and after visiting the travel agent, i hit up the podiatrist to get the low down on my foot problems. The good news being (to cut a long story short) all good and i am clear to train - woot!! Afterwards Andy and I booked our tickets to NZ to race in Jan! Then it was off to jess' for her 80's themed 21st bday. T'was a good night, with the highlights being the inappropriate use of an airhorn and hot cross buns with andy and paige using beer bottles. Good times. And happy birthday jess, hope you had a good one :)

Saturday and after a nice sleep in it was off to Wandi for another Peel road race (not before spotting how amazing andy and i looked in thie photo...ok maybe just me...). I was feeling a little flat but looking forward to a good hit out. Just before we started Nathan approached me and asked if i was interested to mix it up with a bit of an attempt at a break early on. All ways keen to make myself and more so other people suffer i jumped at the opportunity.

We rolled out at 2pm and for 6 x 9k laps, it was windy as and the wandi course was quite undulating. On the start of lap 2 Nathan and I broke, we successfully got away, but wow, i blew up big time. We were eventually caught a few minutes later and i was suffering big time. I was honestly hurting so bad and was really struggling to hang onto the back of the group. I was really considering dropping out, but wow i am glad i didn't. At the end of lap 2 i was back onto the back of the pack when Nathan approached me again - "lets break again". Great i though, but was keen to at least help him out. The start of lap three and we broke again. This time with a third person, and this time it stuck.

The whole third lap we were working so hard, and just keeping the pack at bay. Then we got out of sight and broke them. However we didn't let up and continued to work, rolling through continuously for 4 laps. The way we were working was the best i have ever worked with anyone riding ever. We were all working equally and not letting up, it was awesome. By the end of the final lap, we had built up an uncatchable lead. I was gone and was just so so happy to have built up such a big lead. With about 300 meters to go the third person that broke with us lead Nathan and I out and let us sprint it out. Like i said i was gone and thought Nathan would have it but somehow i managed to find some sprint legs and get up and beat him!! I was super super happy and proud as we'd all done and equal amount of work so any of us deserved the win.

Afterwards i was toast but managed to make the drive up to Jarrahdale and head out for a short 4k run "off the (delayed) bike". Was nice but i was glad i got it done, because to use a phrase from last week, i was in the box, again haha. The rest of the night was filled with a couple of beers, some nice dinner, an intenseeee game of battle ships and a relaxing night on the couch :)

After a great "wake-up call" from paigey (a shove in the back and being dragged off the bed) i was up and ready for a nice cruisy 12k run through the Jarrahdale forrest with Todd, Elyse and Paige. Was a good run and a nice easy pace. The rest of the day was spent at Jarrahdale and then Murdoch open day with Paige...and me being an extremely tired sore little b*tch. Haha oh dear mark, how sad.

Well overall a really good week of training and other happenings. I am feeling good and looking forward to another week of tough training and my first proper running hit out for the season next sunday with the City to Surf Half Marathon on the weekend. Can't wait.

Keep training hard and stay happy people. I certainly am. :)

Cheers, markus.

in the box...

I am in the box, deep deep in the box, tough week!

After thursdays nice little windtrainer set with big t, it was up early friday morning for the usual friday swim, boy did i swim cr*p!! Gah i could not get going and felt like i was swimming like a sack of...bricks.. I still managed to get through the set but i was glad to be out of the pool. The rest of the day was taken up with personal happenings, so unfortunetly i didn't have time for another session.

Saturday morning and it was up early to the new Perry Lakes stadium for TEP running time trials. I picked up paige and she was pretty nervous, i was trying to tell her not to worry and it would be fine, that view all went to poo when i saw mike and kenji run past the car, immediately i became about 10 times more nervous and i was eating my words :/ (sorry paige).

We had a good warm up with some easy/hard laps and some run throughs. Brian and i decided i would run the 5k tt and if i felt good continue on for the 10k. We were off and we ran through the first k at under 3 minute pace..ekk. I quickly realised this and settled into a more reasonable pace (3.30's). With one k to go i quickly realised that i wasn't going to be able to crack the required pace for the 10, so with the help of craig i put the hammer down on the last two laps. I was hurting bigtime, but managed to cross the line with a 17.03. I was super psyched considering the real lack of running over the past couple of months. I was well under 3.30 pace and was super psyched.

After a couple of ice-cream sandwiches and a nap, i was off to Jarrahdale yay! :) Got there mid arvo, and paige, grace, todd and i were of on the mountain bikes for a good spin. Was a lot of fun, but mountain bike riding really makes me appreciate how easy road riding is haha. After having a nice feed and maybe a couple of beers, it was off for another night trek through the jarrahdale forest, where and owl and about 6 billion kangaroo's were spotted, good times with Paigey :D

Bam, up at 6.30am Sunday morning and Bruce and i had decided to ride from Jarrahdale to Rockingham to meet up with the training crew, for a 14k hill/beach run and ride back...heapppsss good idea :/

We got there a little early so decided to ride an old race route, and consequently got lost, but got back in time to start the run. I set off pretty quick and was quickly joined by clarky for a couple of k, we had a good chat, but i then lifted the pace to sub 4 mins k's and quickly found my self on my own. I ran the 14k super fast and felt real good, about the worst thing was my decision to jump in the ocean afterwards to cool down...oh my god it was cold, but good for the muscles! We popped of to dome afterwards and i filled myself up in prep for the ride home. Clarky and Clarky kept offering to give me a lift back to Jarrahdale but i was confident to ride home.

My god, what a mistake, 60k of pure headwind. Down Thomas and onto the freeway, but it got killer when i got onto Mundijong Road. I am seriously going to incorporate this road into my training over the next few weeks, there is no, hiding from the surface or the elements. I really suffered out there today and the worst part was the 9k climb to jarrahdale to finish. I was gone and was just spinning like a granny.

I was suffering, and with about 100 meters to go to "the shack" i saw a car pull up next to me...it was clarky!! She had driven the whole way home, seen the conditions, seen how hard i had run and driven all the way from theirs to Jarrahdale. I was so taken back by this and made me realise how lucky i am to have people like this. All she could say was sorry sorry sorry! for not making it in time and all i could say was thankyou thankyou thankyou for trying!! I was so happy that she did this and it ment so much to me. We chatted for close to an hour out the front of the house before i finally got the energy to jump in the car and drive home, not with out thanking her a million times again, you rock clarky :)

Just before leaving i also found the best note on my car that put a smile on my face the whole way home :) :)

Well, that brings us to now. Deep deep inside this box i am currently sitting. Happy as though, not only from the training but from the people that make everything, well, a sh*tload better :)

Looking forward to another tough week of training, hope everyone else is too :)

See you around, maybe?? :/

Marky Mark

mid week update!

Well its thursday night, boy i love finishing work on a thursday. :) Training training training!!!

Quick update, Monday good swim :) followed by a 5 k run, with some more foot pain :/ tuesday it was on the bike for the river loop then into work. In the arvo it was off to running for more hills! Less foot pain tuesday, but i was still cautious. Wednesday was a rest day and it was niceeee to get a sleep in. Wednesday night and i was off to the Raffles with the boys for a good night, well all most a good night untill someone ruined it...ahh well can't win 'em all, it was 90% good :)

Thursday night - tonight! Windtrainer set with Andy! Photos attached :)

Warming up with a bit of a chat

Big T getting into the swing of things

Pushing the pace!!

Overall a good little set, looking forward to 3 days of training training!

More updates soon, stay classy!

Markus